1988 inline 6 manual trans

I am going to change my head gasket and I was wondering what head bolts I need to replace the original ones. Also any other things I should change besides obvious gaskets while I have it torn apart? Ps I don't have lots of money so any unnecessary pricey upgrades will have to wait.

Also I want to swap my dummy temp light for a gauge and the mechanic I was talking to said to try to find a mechanical gauge because the car is so old he said best to bypass any possible electrical issues. I can't seem to find any gauges that will fit into the original sensor spot on the back of the engine. All the gauges I have found at the usual shops are too big to fit in the original hole. Any brands or stores or whatever help for finding the right gauge is appreciated.

 

Well, to start..You can re-use, (re-stretch), the origional head bolts once. Somewhere it is written that when you do that you mark them with paint, so the next guy knows they have have been re-used. (guess they are playing it safe).

Changing the gauge cluster to a Gauge, (and the sender on the head), (Yea, sender, not sensor), is the least of you issues. The gauge/idiot light sender is rear left on the head. (you will need to replace the oil pressure sender as well). The CTS is on the left side of the block, (for your ECU), then the E-Fan temp sensor is on the radiator near the air cleaner.

Please tell, why the new head gasket? Just curious.

Oh and! Please check out Cruisers stuff on your jeep, on the top in my link, or on any of his.

 

For your gauges you can pick up the instrument cluster that has gauges from a jy. But you will have to replace the temp and oil pressure sending units to run the gauges correctly.

 

The reason the gasket change is because it's leaking oil a little bit and the car did overheat a week ago due to bad radiator. The oil leak has increased a bit since the overheating and I am sure it's only a matter of time before the oil and coolant are going to mix so I am just going to do the switch sooner than later.

And when I was screwing around cleaning stuff a while ago I ripped apart the instrument and center clusters but couldn't get the instrument cluster out. Is there a trick or did I just not use enough muscle?

 

Back to the point. No matter what you are going into, you want a set of wet/dry compression readings before you pull it apart. You can't go back to get them, and once you "get in" you may well wish you had them.

IIRC it's a little "snug" getting the cluster out because of the steering column. To be honest, they made a whole lot of just like that, It almost, but not quite fits.

It can be hard work, and can cost real money. Taking the time to look at it from all angles, and then going in, at the right direction is pretty important. Irregardless of any other issues, I'd do a wet/dry compression test before pulling the head. It's a little rare a head gasket leaks oil, compared the the valve cover gasket right above it.

 

If your head gasket is leaking on the passenger side of the head you shouldn't worry about it unless it is "ALOT". The gasket on that side running the engine length is narrow and is sealing the lifter galley from the outside world, I have seen some leak and some not. As long as the comp test is okay and you have no oil water contamination you're okay.

 

Agreed.